Ross Tucker weighs in on Zorn

Redskins Locker Room

Hiring season is finally over and the NFL head coaching carousel has mercifully come to a stop. The fact that only four head coaching positions were open this year only makes it more likely that there will be at least double that many in January 2009.

Tucker is a smart smart guy and generally has a really good flavor for what the players are thinking. Interesting that from his perspective it seems that the Zorn hire was the most supportable from the players perspective other than Sparano in Miami. After reading this I get the feeling that we may have made the best hire of the offseason. That doesn't mean it will work per se, just based on the other hires, Zorn certainly looks qualified, respected, and a good fit from a player perspective.

I like Tucker so far. He hasn't gotten the "my name's more important than the writing" attitude that seems to affect most of the newer sportswriters. He definitely seems to be putting in the work.

__________________ "All natural institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit."

I hate it when people say things like "Dan Snyder is willing to do whatever it takes to win". Nonsense. He's not willing to hire a G.M. (a real one, not a Smithers), he's not willing to excuse himself from decisions, he's not willing to detox our cap process, he's not willing to eschew easy publicity. I could go on like this for days.

The other line we hear is that Dan Snyder really "wants to win". What the hell does that mean? Are there some owners that "want to lose". Because that would be a story: "Owner Finally Admits He Never Wanted To Win!" Billy Bidwell "wants to win". Let's stop equating this abstract desire for success with genuine competence, because they are entirely unrelated.

I hate it when people say things like "Dan Snyder is willing to do whatever it takes to win". Nonsense. He's not willing to hire a G.M. (a real one, not a Smithers), he's not willing to excuse himself from decisions, he's not willing to detox our cap process, he's not willing to eschew easy publicity. I could go on like this for days.

The other line we hear is that Dan Snyder really "wants to win". What the hell does that mean? Are there some owners that "want to lose". Because that would be a story: "Owner Finally Admits He Never Wanted To Win!" Billy Bidwell "wants to win". Let's stop equating this abstract desire for success with genuine competence, because they are entirely unrelated.

I think most mean he'll do whatever HE THINKS he needs to do to win. And in the end there are some owners that winning is not their main priority. Bidwell for example. It is simply a business for them. I am pretty sure DS wnats to win more than he wants to make money. But he doesn't have to choose...he could do both and he tries.

I hate it when people say things like "Dan Snyder is willing to do whatever it takes to win". Nonsense. He's not willing to hire a G.M. (a real one, not a Smithers), he's not willing to excuse himself from decisions, he's not willing to detox our cap process, he's not willing to eschew easy publicity. I could go on like this for days.

So he's not doing what you want him to do basically, and that makes it nonsense?

Quote:

The other line we hear is that Dan Snyder really "wants to win". What the hell does that mean? Are there some owners that "want to lose". Because that would be a story: "Owner Finally Admits He Never Wanted To Win!" Billy Bidwell "wants to win". Let's stop equating this abstract desire for success with genuine competence, because they are entirely unrelated.

At the very least Snyder puts his money where is mouth is. You can't say that about every owner. I do think there are owners in this league that aren't 100% commited to winning and are content with just coasting.

I'm just saying people should be more precise. Clearly, there are things Snyder is not willing to do in order to win. so, don't say that he is willing to do "anything". And when you say he "wants to win", think about how empty that statement really is. It's meaningless. It's boilerplate that sports media figures fall back on in a pinch. If you mean Snyder spends money freely, say that. If you mean he works tirelessly, say that. Spare us the cliches, though.

If the Redskins do not get off to a quick start, things could get ugly in a hurry

When is that not the f'ing case?! This guy is really going out on a limb....

If Jim Zorn were a "proven commodity" as a head coach in the NFL or - better yet - a Super Bowl winning coach, that would not be the f'ing case. Rightly or wrongly, Jim Zorn will get cut a whole lot less slack if the Skins come out of the gate 0-5 than would a Bill Cowher or a Bill Belichick or a Bill Parcells or a "Joe Gibbs 3.0".

That's not a statement of how I think it ought to be, but that is the way it is...

__________________ The Sports Curmudgeon
www.sportscurmudgeon.com
But don't get me wrong, I love sports...

"League consensus:
Zorn is known in league circles as a rock-solid individual who has an outstanding track record as both an athlete and as a QB coach. The questions concern his ability to juggle the tasks of calling the plays for the first time, managing the game as a head coach and helping to call the personnel shots behind the scenes. That is a wealth of new responsibility to take on at one time."

That seems fair

__________________ Goodbye Sean..........Vaya Con Dios
thankyou Joe.......“God made certain people to play football. He was one of them.” – Joe Gibbs